


Covet Thy Brother

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent from 11x10, M/M, Tags to be added, This is really just, an indulgent fic, im gonna see where it takes me??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-05-16 19:19:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5837812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It hurt to be Castiel, because Castiel looked at that human like he was the universe and the heavens all in one- and though indirectly and unwillingly, Lucifer felt it too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *Winks but a duck noise happens.*

Humans were pitiful. Pitiful, malicious, rotten little things. They lie and steal and betray and sin– 

.. And yet, the barbarous meat sacks would always try to find the light, despite being submerged in darkness. Whether through church, charity, or humility- humans would find a way to meaninglessly repent for wrongdoings, to attempt and witness what they considered the divine- to reach, if only in death- heaven. It disgusted Lucifer. It always had. Humanity drove his hatred, drove his rebellion, and drove his plunge into hell. He didn’t regret his actions. How could he? These creatures were torturous souls locked inside mortal cages, left to spread despair and brutality across God’s earth. They deserved their inevitable fate. They deserved hatred.

So, when the borrowed blue irises of his vessel followed one of skin suited barbarians around bunker, all flannel-clad and hazel eyed cynicism- Lucifer felt the burning, raging, blindingly atrocious malevolent affection curdle inside his chest, and it made him want to gag.


	2. Three's Company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PUT THAT ANGEL BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM OR SO HELP ME (SO HELP ME)

" _Raphael is a grade A **wanker**!_ "

The low-brow insult resonated through the steel walls and concrete hallways of the bunker- eventually coming back in soft echoes, amusing Lucifer much more than it should've. But, hey- who's around to criticize? The Winchester duo still had a good hour or two of angst ridden _pensively-leaning-against-car_ talks ahead of em', leaving lil' ol' Luci home alone- like Macaulay Culkin, but a bit more stable. The archangel had to admit- it got pretty quiet without the sound of Sam's walrus-like stomping or Dean's obnoxious laughter.

_.. Obnoxious. Loud. Infuriating. Passionate and determined and a soul brighter than the sun--_

"GABRIEL COPULATES WITH DONKEYS!"

The way the hallways yelled back distracted Lucifer from the invasive thoughts for a bit.

* * *

Somewhere along rural highway 95, the Winchesters shared a beer leaned up against the impala's hood- only miles away from the bunker, it served as a small break after a long hunt- fields of grain, faded asphalt, and a mid west brand sunset to top it off. It wasn't peace- but it was as close as the brothers figured they'd ever get.

 ".Do me a favor, Sammy."  
  
Sam pulled the beer from his lips, letting the cool alcohol settle into his stomach. "Somethin' wrong?" He raised a brow, a bit put off (if not suspicious) about the sudden request. Dean's fingers tightened around the neck of his bottle, flexing across the cold glass- _Dammit, better get it over with_. Dean finally let himself meet eyes with his sibling. "Talk to Cas for me."  
  
 "What? Why? Dean, the cage really shook him up, bu-"  
  
"You've seen how he's been actin' lately! The son of a bitch won't stay home for more than an hour before flappin' off somewhere without a word. I mean- he's always done that, but it's just.. different." Dean cut himself off with a sigh, running calloused fingers through his hair. He hadn't meant to get worked up. "Look.. it's been almost 3 weeks. I get that this isn't something he, or you, for that matter- can just.. _brush off_. But shit, man, i'm worried. He's been outta it for too long. I've seen him depressed, i've seen him angry- and this ain't it. I've tried bringing it up, but.. you're better at this stuff." The hunter finished with another swig of his drink, idly kicking a stray piece of gravel with his foot. "I just wanna be sure he's alright- or at least, that he will be."

 Sam tossed his empty bottle into the open rear window, stretching his shoulders as he returned to his side of the vehicle. ".. Yeah, okay. I get it. I'll make sure to chat with him, alright?" He promised, giving the other a nod. Dean nodded in return, slipping into the drivers seat once more, his shoulders feeling much lighter than when he got out.

* * *

 

"Do you think Dad is getting us all snow cones?" 

Silence.

"Ohh, maybe Disney world tickets?"

More silence.

".. Okay, Disney  _land_ tickets."

 ...

 Lucifer had his feet kicked up onto the coffee table, hands fiddling idly with a Rubix cube he snatched from Sam's room. After another minute of quiet, the angel groaned over dramatically. " _Caastieeeel,_ I know you can hear me. I'm just making small talk. I wouldn't leave you locked inside your conscious with nothing to do- can I get you playing cards, or something?" There was no real reason for Lucifer to speak out loud, aside from hearing the sound of his own unusually gravelly voice- every thought he had, every action he took, Castiel would hear and feel it. He couldn't act on them, of course. He had no control. _Not anymore_. 

_Must you insist on eating so very much, so very often?_

Lucifer sat up quickly at the sound of the new voice inside his head. "Castiel! Glad you decided to tap in."

_I'm not here for 'small talk', Lucifer. You acquired my vessel so you can defeat the Darkness- beyond that, I want nothing to do with you._

"Awh c'mon, roomie. We'll be bunking together till' Auntie Amara stirs up again- might as well make the most of it, yeah?"

 _Sam will be home soon,_ the voice warned Lucifer,  _along with Dean._

There was that name again. It sent his heart into irregular fits and made his stomach feel heavy. Dammit. This unwilling, burning adoration he felt for the hunter would surely kill him if Amara didn't. It _pained_ Lucifer. 

".. You are a _pathetic_  little thing, Castiel."

_You're one to talk._

 

 

 


	3. Scare Tactics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This.. this is a shameless cliff hanger.
> 
> (Got a tumblr? What a curious happenstance- so do I.   
> http://antmaaan.tumblr.com)

"Castiel! Where you at, buddy?"

 Sam allowed the bunker door to creak shut behind him, arms full with supplies filled duffel bags. Once reaching the bottom of the stairs the younger Winchester dropped the less-fragile bags on the ground unceremoniously, calling once more for the angel as he ventured into the kitchen. "It's just me for now- Dean's out grabbing some dinner." Sam used the hem of his shirt to pop open a cold beer, sitting himself in a chair with a light groan. This last hunt wasn't exactly a walk in the park- it was more of a _run_ , actually- from a vampire. _Vampires_ , more specifically. In any case, it left the brothers tired and aching in all the wrong ways. Waiting a few more moments, Sam listened for the familiar shuffling of socks on concrete or at least a belated greeting. Preparing to yell for the angel again, Sam instead jumped at the sudden sound of wings from behind. He nearly spilled his drink whipping around to glare at the new face in the room. 

"Jeeze, Cas- you scared the shit out of me." 

"I'm sorry, Sam. Did you need something?" Lucifer did his best to imitate the puzzled puppy head-tilt. As much as the archangel would love to spend his free time teasing the younger Winchester, he realized it was best to spend as little 'quality' time with him as possible. Sam was observant- if Lucifer wasn't careful, the big lug would pick up on Castiel's 'odd behavior' in no time. Dean, _thank Dad_ , was a little more ( _a lot_ more) dense-- ..  _Dean_.  _(Chest pounding, butterflies in his stomach--_ Lucifer drowned the butterflies.)

"Uhm, no, not really," Sam continued to eye the angel curiously, brow lowering as he readjusted himself in his chair, "Just figured we could chat for bit while we wait for food." 

Lucifer paused, taking a few moments to survey his options. On one hand, Sam seemed to already be suspicious- _though_ , it could also just be Lucifer's paranoia. He decided ultimately that outright _rejecting_ Winchester Bonding Time™ would raise more red flags than it was worth, and took a seat beside Sam. The human nodded subtly, as if he was already checking something off his mental list. A few moments of awkward silence followed- only to finally be broken by Sam's cautious voice. "Y'know.. it's kinda _odd_ to see you flying yourself around the bunker. Weren't you trying to cut down on the angel-mojo use?"

 "Yes, well.. it becomes uncomfortable and obnoxious after awhile, keeping my wings strapped. It's akin to having a kernel stuck in your teeth." Lucifer offered as a half-assed excuse. He could practically _feel_ Castiel's eyes roll from inside his vessel. Sam seemed to accept it, though, as his shoulders lost some of their tension and he took another drink from his beer. "Gotcha." Lucifer also allowed himself to relax as Sam leaned back into his chair.

"Look, Cas.."

_Defenses up, Lucifer._

"What is it?" He added another head-tilt in for good measure.

"It's been a couple weeks since the cage and.. man, I know it must've been hard on you, too. Just being in the vicinity as Lucifer is some decent nightmare fuel-"

Lucifer could _feel_ Castiel's smirk. He suppressed the seraph with a quick surge of grace.

"-I just wanted to make sure your doin' alright." Sam finished with a sigh.

"Of course, Sam. I really am alright. Are you holding up, as well..?"

The Winchester ran a hand through his hair stiffly before giving a nod. "A lil' shaken up still, but yeah. I'm good," He raised his head to offer the angel a warm smile, "We're good."  And as if on cue, the bunker door was flung open, and Dean's heavy footsteps made their way down the steel staircase. Sam stood and stretched his back with a wince, clapping the other on the shoulder before heading into the main room. 

* * *

 

"So? How'd it go?" Dean asked through a mouthful of pepperoni thick-crust. Sam took a swig of his drink before nodding. "It went fine."

"Don't 'fine' me. He'll.. be okay, right?"

"Yes, Dean. He'll be fine. We'll both be fine. You really shouldn't worry."

Dean paused in his chewing before allowing himself to relax, grabbing for another slice.

* * *

_ You're wasting time. _

"There aren't 'time' limits on this sort of thing, Castiel. I'm waiting for an opportunity. Not to mention forming a strategy. I _can_ take down The Darkness- never said it would be an easy task." Lucifer shoved his hands into his pocket, idly kicking a rock across the dirt path. "Let me enjoy the topside for a bit, yeah? Believe it or not, I did miss walks through the woods."

_ Are you really not concerned? Surely, you've felt his presence as well.  _

Lucifer stopped abruptly, muscles tensing. ".. He won't an issue."

_ What will you do if he shows himself? If he attacks? _

"Retaliate, obviously." At that, Lucifer felt a surge of burning rage from within- from Castiel himself.

_ You. Will not. Hurt him. Not again. Not in my body. _

 

The archangel paused, thinking on Castiel's words. He took a deep breath, allowing the cool woodland air to fill his borrowed lungs.

"He's a tricky one, isn't he?"


	4. Honey, I'm Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES, this fic is still going. It took me awhile to collect my thoughts about where I wanted to go with it, since the show is giving us so much new info. ANYWAY. To make up for it, I have another chapter lined up for tomorrow. Thank you for your patience!
> 
> Bold = Castiel's dialogue; speaking to Lucifer

Sam Winchester put up with A LOT of shit. In fact, Sam Winchester put up with so much shit, he deserved a 'putting up with shit' award for the utter amount of shit he put up with.

The younger Winchester had learned to deal with Dean's bitching, Castiel's nagging, and Crowley's usual antics- he adjusted. He _coped_.

Though _today_ , with a beer in his hand and a stack of hunting-related notes in the other, he'd walked into his foyer and was greeted by _silly string_ hanging from every accessible surface and ledge, coating things in it's pasty, colorful residue. For a few long moments Sam gaped at the vandalized bunker, hand moving to tug down some of the string so he could avoid getting it in his hair- and, unceremoniously and all-too nonchalant, he walked into the kitchen to get a sandwich.

Sam Winchester put up with a lot of shit.

He _wasn't_ putting up with this.

* * *

"Holy shit, I think he'd MARRY that car if he could. What is the _deal_ with that hunk of junk?"

 Lucifer swung his legs idly from his perch atop the Gas n' Sip sun-chipped roof, safely cloaked by ethereal matter and undetectable to the human eye. Curious gaze followed as Dean Winchester wiped a rag over the hood of his vehicle, waiting for the tank to be filled- humming a horrendously off tune rendition of 'Hotel California'.  He was heading back to the bunker after a check in on a lead the next town over- Lucifer knew because he had _followed_ him the entire trip, observing. It had ended up a bust ( _The Darkness's key to defeat wouldn't be in the attic of some aging hunter_ ), but the archangel had the opportunity to watch the human on his own, uninterrupted. 

**Silent, stoic, time spent self reflecting- turning the radio up too loud, eating drive-through burgers- intricate thoughts hidden behind hazel hues. Elegant, in a peculiar way- beautiful, lovely--**

"I will not hesitate to lock you away, Castiel-" The archangel hissed, "Cease your _pathetic_ ramblings." With the command came an order for obedience- to which Castiel could only do just that, though begrudgingly. 

**Is there a _reason_ we're tailing Dean, Lucifer? Surely, you knew the lead was faulty.**

"Of course I did," Lucifer replied, standing up and stretching the vessel's arms as Dean started the car, "I am not as stupid to underestimate the Winchesters. I must say that while I understand MY Winchester on a more personal level, I hardly know a thing about yours." He watched as the impala exited the parking lot and rolled back onto the highway, ethereal wings spread and prepared to follow. A familiar feeling of rage came from within the vessel- Castiel's angelic voice attempting to pierce him from the inside.

**The Winchesters are not yours, Lucifer- if you lay a single FINGER on them, I will not hesitate to burn this vessel _inside out-_**

"Save me your threats, _seraph-_  I know our terms. Despite what you may have heard, I do honor agreements-" Lucifer spat, words tasting bitter at the memories of his brethren slandering his name, "- and I won't harm Samuel or the charming freckled one." Lucifer _despised_ the way his vessel's heart fluttered at that last sentiment.

**Good.**

Castiel's boiling rage had placated and been replaced with a vague, unfamiliar feeling- _possessiveness_. It made Lucifer's stomach turn. 

" .. Oh, how far you've _fallen_ , brother."

**I cannot argue with that.**

* * *

 

Sam decided after doing reading over the notes and finishing his sandwich that he should, probably, address the situation.

The thing is- the silly string incident was just ONE of _many_ curious phenomena happening throughout the bunker the past week. Stuffed animals appearing out of nowhere, a conjured radio playing 'Can't Fight This Feeling' on repeat, posters of _dogs_ covering his bedroom - the odd occurrences seemed to only effect Sam, as Dean hadn't had any strange encounters recently. Even more odd is the fact that the things would disappear after a short amount of time. At first Sam thought it could be more illusions, thanks to Lucifer, but the items conjured were real, _tangible_ \- Sam had hidden one of the stuffed animals beneath his pillow, and it was still there when the rest had vanished- and with each incident, the amount of time the things stayed put grew _longer_. It had already been an hour and a half, and silly string STILL covered the bunker's entrance. 

Phone in hand, he dialed Dean's number- 3 rings before he picked up, mouth sounding full of what Sam could only assume was terrible snack food. 

' _Hey, i'm on my way back now. Lead turned up jack shit, but he said there might be something in another book if we look-_ '

"Dean, there's silly string everywhere."

A long pause- some shuffling. Dean's voice returned, clear but confused. 

_'Did you say **silly string**? ' _

"Yeah. I _told you_ weird crap's been going on-- this one seems like it's here to stay, though."

More silence and Dean finally groaned, sounding apprehensive and annoyed.

' _Think we got a ghost problem?_ '

"I dunno how one would've gotten in, with the warding."

_' Maybe it was Crowley. We DID break the seal by the door so he could at least get in-- damn, I KNEW we shouldn't have given that dick any sort of responsibility. '_

Sam sighed, running his free hand over his jaw in thought. "It doesn't seem very _Crowley_ , Dean- just get here soon, alright? We'll go through some encyclopedias."

_'Alright, alright- gimme 15 minutes. See ya soon.'_

With a click, the call ended- leaving Sam standing awkwardly in the colorfully decorated foyer. Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, he headed for the library to look for the books. Running his fingers over the aged spines, the Winchester was running through the cataloged lore in his brain when he felt a sudden breeze. He abruptly turned, stance defensive- goosebumps appeared on his arms, though there was no _chill_ indicating a ghost's presence. Taking a few tentative steps around the bookcase, Sam kept his hands up- ready to strike whatever he may find. Instead, there was another breeze, though this time from behind- and much closer. Hunter-refined reflexes spun him around quickly enough to slam his torso into the intruder- large hands grappling to successfully secure its limbs. He pressed both bodies against the old bookcases, dust shaking free from the sudden  _thump-_  breathe heavy from his sudden movements. "Who are _you?!_ " The words were already out of Sam's mouth before he allowed his eyes and other senses time to adjust- having to tilt his head _downwards_ to meet the face of the thing he had pinned.

"Y'know, we have REALLY gotta talk about your thing for shoving me against walls, _Sammich_."

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
